Some dogs can easily wake up an entire house with their snoring. The loudest snoring pups are usually smaller short-faced breeds like Boston Terriers and Pugs but plenty of big dogs can shake the house with their snores too!
But what about Rottweilers? Do they snore?
Yes, Rottweilers do snore! Even though they don’t have the traditional brachycephalic or short-snouted head shape that can really increase snoring, a Rottie’s face is still short enough to produce plenty of snoring. You can try adding a humidifier or encourage your Rottie to sleep in a different position in order to reduce snoring.
Let’s take a closer look at everything you need to know about snoring in Rottweilers including how you can manage it if it’s keeping you up at night.
How Much Do Rottweilers Snore?
Of course, it’s going to vary a bit between individual Rotties, but most will snore pretty regularly. Even though they aren’t as loud as other breeds, they still may wake up light sleepers.
For a better idea of just how loud a Rottie can snore, check out this video that shows a pretty typical Rottiewieler snore session:
If you’ve ever lived with a truly brachycephalic breed like a Pug, Bulldog, or Shih Tzu then you know that even a big Rottie’s snore isn’t much to write home about.
That’s because Rottweilers have a facial confirmation that’s somewhere between a long and short face. They’ve got a muzzle that’s long enough to mitigate some of the common brachycephalic dog problems like easily overheating but still short enough to get a good snore in!
What Causes Rottweilers To Snore?
Just like humans, snoring occurs when parts of the upper airway vibrate during breathing.
Normally, when a dog breathes, air flows quietly and we hardly notice it. But when something is obstructing the airway, the tissues of the upper airway vibrate and cause the snoring sound. Since Rottweilers are more than happy to sleep in some unusual positions, they can often find themselves sleeping in a way that enhances the sound of snoring.
Many Rottweiler love to sleep on their back and just as in humans, that position can produce some of the most powerful snores!
As we’ve already mentioned, short-snouted brachycephalic breeds tend to snore a lot more since they have a shorter airway and it’s easier for different parts of their upper airway to essentially rub up against each other.
Rottweilers don’t have it as bad as dogs like pugs, but short-faced Rottweilers are becoming more popular with breed judges and dog owners. As a result, more breeders are pushing Rotties in this direction and these shorter-faced dogs will absolutely snore more than others.
If your individual Rottie has a face that’s on the short side then they’re likely to be more prone to snoring as well even if they aren’t specifically bred to have a short nose!
Should I Worry About Snoring?
In most cases, snoring isn’t anything to worry about.
Unless you’re seeing additional signs of respiratory concern like discharge from the nose or eyes, snoring is just a normal thing that Rottweilers do. In rare cases, a tumor or polyp in the upper airway could cause increased snoring. Again, you’ll see other symptoms beyond snoring.
But if snoring is steadily getting worse or your Rottweiler starts snoring when they previously didn’t then it’s always a good idea to consult your veterinarian and stay on the safe side.
How Can I Stop My Rottweiler From Snoring?
Even though snoring can be a perfectly normal part of living with a Rottweiler that doesn’t always make it easy! Light sleepers may find themselves constantly waking up to the sound of their Rottie “sawing logs” and over time that’s going to be exhausting!
So let’s look at a few options for getting your Rottie’s snoring under control!
Make Sure Your Rottweiler’s Bed Is Big Enough
Any change to the upper airway has a chance to cause snoring or make snoring louder than usual and dog beds are one of the most common causes of this.
Many dog beds have raised ridges on the edges that give the bed a slightly enclosed feeling and others even try to mimic the look and feel of a couch. These are great for some dogs, but snoring Rottiweiers will have often rest their head on these edges which will change the flow of air and cause some powerful snoring! This is especially true if the bed is a little smaller and Rotties have to take on some strange shapes in order to fit.
Consider picking up a flat, large square bed that will keep your Rottie on an even surface as they lay or a dog bed with just one side raised.
When dog beds have a completely raised circumference, there are plenty of spots for dogs to find a weird position. I usually recommend Rottie parents check out something like this bed on Amazon which gives Rotties plenty of room to stretch out. It won’t completely eliminate snoring but it can help decrease the super-powerful snoring that some dog beds can cause.
Consider A Completely Different Sleeping Position
What can make things confusing is that there are subtle differences between all the sleeping positions and even adjusting your Rottie’s head by an inch or two can completely change the volume and frequency of snoring.
While a flat bed is usually a good starting point, you might find that having your Rottie prop their head on a pillow can also help. However, it can also make snoring worse so do a little experimentation to find what works best for your pup.
Keep Your Rottweiler At A Health Weight
Keeping your Rottie at a healthy weight is one of the best things you can do to stop snoring. As dogs gain more weight, fat can develop in the upper airways which can increase the amount of friction and lead to snoring.
Being overweight can also cause Rotties to find themselves in more unusual sleeping positions or increase the chance of minor airway restriction which will all lead to more snoring.
So if your Rottie is overweight and snoring, this is the first place to start.
Try A Humidifier
Snoring gets worse when Rotties have to breathe dry air. The dry air can cause some minor inflammation but the lack of moisture can also increase the sound of the vibrations that produce the snoring sound.
A simple and strategically placed humidifier can help add moisture to the air and reduce snoring. However, if your dog is morbidly overweight or constantly sleeping in a weird airway-restricting position then no amount of humidity is going to help. But if you’re dealing with some minor snoring or you’ve just moved to a dryer region then a humidifier can make a great option.
Other Ways To Manage Snoring
Even after trying everything above, your Rottie may still be snoring! Assuming they’re healthy, there’s nothing wrong with a little snoring and you may need to look at other options for getting a good night’s rest.
Maybe Your Rottie Needs To Sleep Somewhere Else
If you’re an especially light sleeper, then it may just not be possible to share a bedroom with your big snoring pup. But sleeping outside your room doesn’t have to be a punishment! Crate training can be a great solution but even just putting your Rottie’s comfortable bed in another room can work.
Give your Rottie plenty of praise and positive reinforcement when they use their new bed and enjoy a good night’s sleep!
Try A White Noise Machine
I absolutely love white noise machines not only for loud snoring Rotties but for just about any other kind of noise whether that’s other people in the household or outside noise. You can order one online but there are plenty of free apps out there that will work too.
Try downloading one and give it a shot before investing in a dedicated machine.
Closing Thoughts
Not only do Rottweilers snore, but they’re pretty darn good at it too! If you’re a light sleeper, it might not be your favorite part of living with a Rottweiler but when you’re not trying to get some rest there’s almost nothing cuter than a snoring Rottie!
Even though it’s normal, you do have options for trying to keep the sound of snoring under control. Finding the right bed is always a good start but if your Rottie is on the heavy side then that’s always the first place to start.
What do you think? Does your Rottie snore louder than the dog in the video?
